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Mount Virtus?

Every day is seeking to rise to the challenge, 'neath the shadow of the mighty Rockies.

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Sometimes the choices are daunting or confusing, sometimes they're as clear as a Mile High view.

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If I had five more writers just like him, I think my job would be the easiest in journalism....

2/7/2026 By Ben 13 Comments

Obama “Stimulus” Overreaches, But Republicans Still Have Much to Prove

A candid word from liberal Mickey Kaus about a major effect of the Pelosi-Reid-Obama Generational Theft Act:But the reference to liberalism isn't irrelevant, because the now-undermined welfare reform was the key to rebuilding confidence in (liberal) affirmative government. As Bill Clinton recognized, voters may well have been willing to let government spend, but they didn't trust old style liberals not to spend in actively destructive ways, like subsidizing an isolated underclass of non-working single mothers with a no-strings cash dole. It's a 75-25 values issue. Work yes. Welfare no. Even if welfare spending was only a tiny portion of the liberals' spending agenda, it poisoned the rest of it. Only when Clinton's New Democrats put an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: anti-"stimulus", backbone, Barack Obama, beginnings, big plans, Bill Clinton, bloated, candor, chairman, Congress, day care, Denver, dependency, destructive ways, early, Earned Income Tax Credit, federal largesse, fiscal conservatives, fiscal responsibility, fortified pensions, Gateway Pundit, Generational Theft Act, government, governors, hard work, Health Care, liberal, liberty, limited government, major effect, Michael Steele, Mickey Kaus, newfound, political opportunities, positive signs, public confidence, rallies, reform, Republican majority, Republican National Committee, Republicans, restoring trust, rhetoric, right direction, rousing speeches, saying no, serious, Social Security, spend, state legislators, state level, trust, welfare reform, wisely

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Come Roast a Pig – and the Porkulus Bill – Tomorrow at the State Capitol

You don't want to miss this! From a note just sent out by the Independence Institute's Jon Caldara:President Obama is flying his corporate jet to Denver to sign a bill putting my children into debt. I want to give him a proper mile high welcome. The Independence Institute, along with Americans for Prosperity and other groups promoting sanity, are organizing a protest tomorrow, Tuesday, at noon at the west steps of the state capitol, and I hope you'll be there. We'll have over-sized checks you can sign to show your family's $30,000 commitment to the bill. I'll be joined by Michelle Malkin, Mike Coffman, Bob Beauprez, Jim Pfaff from AFP and many others. I'm not usually one for public protests, because like so many on our side, I have a day … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: alternative, Americans for Prosperity, Amy Oliver, Barack Obama, Bob Beauprez, children, comments, commitment, corporate jet, day job, debt, Denver, Family, hell no, huge push, Independence Institute, Jim Pfaff, Jon Caldara, kosher, Michelle Malkin, Mike Coffman, Mile High, Night Twister, on the record, over-sized checks, Peoples Press Collective, pertinent, pork roast, President, protest, sanity, Slapstick Politics, slippery slope, socialism, State Capitol, world

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Won’t Forget Obama Sticking Us with Signing of Generational Theft Act

Happy Valentine's Day. I'm sick, and it isn't lovesickness. It does include the nauseous feeling I got learning that Barack Obama plans to sign the trillion-dollar-plus Generational Theft Act right here in our own backyard. Yeah, just stick it in our eye. No thanks, Mr. President. The symbolism of the action won't be forgotten in our independent state, and should serve as a nice prelude to the Rally for Personal Freedom. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC, property rights Tagged With: backyard, Barack Obama, Colorado, forgotten, Generational Theft Act, independent state, lovesickness, Mr. President, nauseous feeling, nice prelude, Rally for Personal Freedom, sick, symbolism, trillion dollar, Valentine's Day

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Schock-ing Obama on the House Floor

In this bleak moment of Congressionally-approved bloated government spending and stimulation, we did hear from the youngest member of Congress and doubtless a rising conservative star in years to come: Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois (H/T The Corner). If I'm not mistaken, I believe he is the first member of Congress younger than myself - so it's all downhill from here. Hot Air posted this video of this well-delivered zinger of a speech from the House floor earlier today: Kind of fits with the politically conservative youth movement here in Colorado. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Aaron Schock, bleak moment, bloated, Colorado, Congress, conservative, doubtless, downhill, government spending, Illinois, member, rising star, stimulus, video, well-delivered, youngest, youth movement, YouTube, zinger

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Gazette Columnist: Democrat Senators Bowing to Plumbers Union Lobby

Last week I brought to your attention an organized labor power play at the State Capitol that shot down a simple effort to make school plumbing inspections more efficient. Today in the Colorado Springs Gazette, guest columnist Daniel Cole tells the story at greater length and offers a forceful conclusion:The unpleasant reality is that Democratic campaigns in Colorado are often financed by unions, so only the strongest Democrats dare defy a union's wishes. Union camaraderie means that a Democrat who votes against a single union can earn a reputation for disloyalty and untrustworthiness. Considering that unions gave [state senators Bob] Bacon and [Evie] Hudak $90,000 for their most recent campaign - [Senator Keith] King's entire war chest … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor, PPC Tagged With: Bob Bacon, careers, Colorado Springs Gazette, commonsense, conservative, contrast, Daniel Cole, Democrat, Democratic campaigns, efficient, Evie Hudak, federal stimulus package, forceful conclusion, guest columnist, heated debates, Keith King, laid over, legislation, mindless bullying, organized labor, organized plumbing, plumbers, plumbing inspections, power play, pro-liberty, Republican, Rollie Heath, school, simple effort, special interests, state budget crisis, State Capitol, state level, state senator, story, union, votes, welcome addition, whim

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Big Day for School Transparency

Update: Senate Bill 57 passed the state senate on 2nd reading - which means it's almost certainly on its way over to the House for debate. Today (very likely) is a big day for Colorado and the movement toward school financial transparency: Two major editorial endorsements, one news story, and an important debate on the floor of the state senate. Check it all out at the Colorado Spending Transparency blog. Update: You also can follow me (bendegrow) on Twitter. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

The “Stimulus” Bill is Even Worse? Now is the Time to Speak Up Loud & Clear

Even the Congressional Budget Office recognizes that any small positive effect of the stimulus bill would be erased by long-term economic stagnation and debt. And that was the previous version of the legislation. As Joshua points out from the Wall Street Journal, the "compromise" version the House votes on today is even worse:The latest version of the economic-stimulus package is expected to provide less near-term support for the economy and make it less likely that the economy will pull itself out of recession before late this year. Meanwhile, Karen Hanretty (via Jon Henke) explains why Barack Obama and the Democrats are trying to speed this disaster through:President Obama is in a race against time. Because you don’t build … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Barac Obama, behemoth, citizens, compromise, conference committee, Congressional Budget Office, Congressman, contact, debt, disaster, economic stagnation, Ed Perlmutter, erased, House, Jon Henke, Joshua Sharf, Karen Hanretty, legislation, long-term, lose support, message, No Stimulus, office, online, petition, pledge, positive effect, previous version, race against time, recession, sausage, serving, stimulus bill, sunshine period, Transparency, votes, Wall Street Journal

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

A Timeout for Some Non-Partisan Props to Senate President Peter Groff

I'm a conservative and a partisan Republican. I offer up a lot of criticism here of Democrats - most of it well-deserved. But as this article that appeared yesterday in Colorado Senate News shows, if the Democrats have to be in charge, our state is well-blessed to have Peter Groff as senate president:"When the chips are down on issues like this one, you close ranks and move ahead with a common purpose," said Senate GOP leader Josh Penry. "I've found Peter's vision goes way beyond the usual partisanship, and his openness to some of our ideas on tax relief has made all the difference," Penry said of the Denver Democrat.... "Even though the distinction between the two parties has never been sharper on a wide range of policy issues, we also … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC Tagged With: backing, bills, blindly, caucus chair, chips, Colorado Senate News, common purpose, commonsense, conservative, criticism, dangerous, Democrats, Denver, disagree, distinction, followed, fostering, GOP, ideas, in charge, Josh Penry, key issues, legislative debates, Mike Kopp, non-partisan, partisan, partisanship, Peter Groff, policy issues, priorities, productive, Republican, respect, school district transparency, Senate Bill 57, Senate President, tax relief, vision, well-deserved, work together, worthy

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Ryan Frazier Ekes Out Straw Poll Win, Weighs In on Marie Morrow Case

The Rocky Mountain Right straw poll for the Colorado GOP's 2010 U.S. Senate primary has concluded, and Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier came out of nowhere to notch a narrow victory over former state legislative leader and current national committeeman Mark Hillman. (Bob Beauprez finished a distant third.) Either Frazier or Hillman would be an excellent candidate to represent the Republican Party next November. Speaking of Frazier, fellow RMA blogger Joshua Sharf reports on (and reprints) a letter the councilman wrote to Cherry Creek Schools superintendent Mary Chesley today, arguing for more lenient (and reasonable) treatment of Cherokee Trail High School senior Marie Morrow over the recent "zero-tolerance" expulsion outrage. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, Education, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Aurora, blogger, candidate, Cherokee Trail High School, Cherry Creek Schools, city councilman, Colorado, conservative groups, diplomatic, excellent candidate, GOP, grassroots events, higher office, Joshua Sharf, leading contenders, legislative leader, lenient, letter, Marie Morrow, Mark Hillman, Mary Chesley, Mount Virtus, national committeeman, November, outrage, paving the way, primary, reasonable, reports, represent, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Rocky Mountain Right, Ryan Frazier, statesmanlike, straw poll, superintendent, touted, U.S. Senate, ubiquitous, zero-tolerance

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

March 1 at the Colorado State Capitol: Join the Rally for Personal Freedom

The newly-formed Gadsden Society of Colorado - so named for Colonel Christopher Gadsden who popularized the Revolutionary "Don't Tread On Me" flag - is hosting a "Rally for Personal Freedom" on Sunday, March 1, at the State Capitol in downtown Denver. Rising star and voice of liberty Ryan Frazier will be the keynote speaker. El Presidente has the details. Spread the word. Hope to see you there. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, property rights, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Christopher Gadsden, Colorado, Don't Tread On Me, El Presidente, flag, Gadsden Society, personal freedom, rally, Revolutionary, Ryan Frazier, State Capitol

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
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  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
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